Ontario elementary teachers will hold a day-long strike on Monday in two boards, in Northern Ontario and Stratford.

By:Kristin Rushowy and Robert BenzieStaff Reporters, Published on Wed Dec 05 2012

The first day-long strikes by Ontario’s elementary teachers will hit Northern Ontario and the Stratford area on Monday.

In a letter being sent home with students Wednesday, the District School Board Ontario North East apologized to parents for the “interruption to student achievement,” and says schools will be shut down Dec. 10.

“Our elementary schools will reopen the following day and lessons for student achievement will continue,” it says.

“If any further strike action is to occur, we will again inform you in as timely a fashion as possible.”

Director of Education Linda Knight said the board, based in the Timmins area, met with union officials Wednesday afternoon and was given advance notice well beyond the three days the union had pledged.

The Avon-Maitland District School Board will also be affected Monday. The union confirmed those are the only two boards where teachers are scheduled to walk off the job that day.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario recently announced rotating strikes would be held throughout the province in December, affecting every public elementary school at some point.

Teachers are protesting Bill 115, a controversial piece of legislation that along with cuts to sick days and benefits, also gives the province the ability to quickly shut down a strike or even the threat of one.

Ontario PC education critic Lisa MacLeod has repeatedly called on Education Minister Laurel Broten to do just that to end the uncertainty for parents.

However, should Broten make such a move, teachers have voted to hold a mass one-day political protest.

Broten said in a statement that she’s “taking the time to consider all the options available to our government” and will make a statement Thursday morning.

“I know that parents hope that the ETFO leadership will reconsider this unnecessary action and that they will focus on putting students first,” she said.

In the northern board, the day-long strike will affect 4,000 elementary schoolkids; in Avon-Maitland, about 10,000.

In Avon-Maitland, teachers will picket six Grade 7 to 12 schools, as well as board offices and those of local MPPs.

The union has promised that students will not be held up by pickets, said Ted Doherty, director of education.

“We believe that our employees who are picketing will be respectful of their colleagues,” he added.

Meanwhile, NDP leader Andrea Horwath said if she becomes premier after an election expected as early as next spring, an NDP administration would repeal the bill.

When elementary teachers are in strike position:

• The following local units of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario are in a legal strike position and could call a one-day strike at any time, (the union has promised to give parents three days’ notice):

Avon Maitland (one-day strike scheduled for Monday, Nov 10)

Lambton Kent

Kawartha Pine Ridge

Niagara

Ottawa-Carleton

Rainy River

Renfrew

Simcoe

Thames Valley

Trillium Lakelands

Upper Grand

York Region

• The following could call a one-day strike as of Dec. 6:

Bluewater

Hamilton-Wentworth

• Dec. 7:

Keewatin-Patricia

DSB Ontario North East (one-day strike scheduled for Monday, Dec. 10)

• Dec. 10:

Durham

Greater Essex

Hastings and Prince Edward

Lakehead

Peel

Rainbow

Superior-Greenstone

Toronto

• Dec. 13:

Halton

Limestone

Near North

Upper Canada

• Dec. 14:

Grand Erie

• Dec. 17:

Algoma

Waterloo

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